A Living Tradition CIC Gateshead Roma Kavárna Project Report for October 2018

It has been another successful and busy month for the Roma Kavarna Drop-in in Gateshead. We have been busy dealing with more enquiries concerning Universal Credit and debt problems have been part of our work again.

We have also been dealing with housing issues. In one example, one client was re-housed; the home they were living in had rats in it, so we got the council involved and officers from Gateshead Council visited the property. Within two weeks, the family were re-housed in a much better 4-bedroomed flat and didn't even have to pay a deposit beforehand.

We also dealt with a homelessness case, when a young Roma woman was kicked out by her family. In response, we contacted Shelter and consequently she was able to find accommodation.We have also had visitors, including Ashleigh Davies from Gateshead Learning, with whom we discussed ways of helping Roma in Gateshead getting English language lessons and we have helped people with C.V.s.

Our thanks again to service providers including Gateshead Citizens Advice Bureau and Gateshead Healthworks.

We are still waiting to hear from funders and hope that we can gain finding to help us continue into the new year. We are working with partners to try and set-up a large meeting in January about how people can gain Settled Status after Brexit and we are organising a music night at the Tyneside Irish Centre on Thursday 22nd November, which will include Roma music: ttps://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/celebrating-our-traditions-tickets-50803323107

Peter Sagar, Company Secretary, A Living Tradition CIC, and Irma Karchnakova, interpreter and worker, November 2018